It is known to divide a space provided within a work environment into one or more work spaces. According to such known arrangements, the work spaces may be further divided or otherwise arranged to create one or more work areas for use by individual workers or groups of workers. For example, it is generally known to divide an "open plan" work environment into large work spaces (e.g., group meeting areas or "commons") and small work spaces (e.g., worker offices). It is also generally known to reconfigure such work areas within the work spaces by arrangement of one or more articles of furniture, such as panel walls, worksurfaces (e.g., display surfaces, tables, horizontal surfaces, vertical display boards), storage units (e.g., closets, cabinets, filing systems), chairs, seating products, etc. in a manner intended to support workers in a wide variety of individual and group activities.
The dynamic work environment, characterized by a need for flexibility, reconfigurable work areas and an ability to support a wide variety of activities of both individual workers and project teams of varying sizes, has recently grown in prevalence. The dynamic work environment typically includes mobile articles of furniture such as seating products, work surfaces and storage products. Individual and team spaces in the dynamic work environment are ideally capable of rapid configuration and reconfiguration by the workers themselves or by rearrangement of articles of furniture. However, known arrangements for space division and reconfiguration to support a variety of individual or group activities in a highly efficient manner are not well-suited for the dynamic work environment.
According to known arrangements, a work environment may be divided (e.g., by fixed panel walls) into closed or private work spaces (e.g., worker offices) that provide privacy and security, as well as open or group work spaces that allow access or movement throughout the work spaces. However, known arrangements may provide insufficient space for large group meetings or team interaction if the work environment is divided into closed work spaces. Further, the known arrangements may provide insufficient space for private work, private meetings or secure work activities if the work environment is divided into predominantly open work spaces. Such known arrangements, therefore, may impose inflexible constraints on the range of activities that may efficiently be performed in the work environment.
According to other known arrangements, mobile structures (such as hanging panels or freestanding panels) may be used to divide space in a work environment. However, such known structures typically must be stowed or put aside when not in use, which occupies space within the work environment that could possibly be used for more productive worker activity. Moreover, such mobile structures may not provide a suitable level of visual, auditory or physical privacy (or security) when installed. Further, the mobile structures may be unwieldy and difficult to position.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide for a selectively reconfigurable wall system that divides the space within a work environment to provide a desired level of privacy and security in one or more work spaces. It would also be advantageous to provide for a selectively reconfigurable wall system for use in a work environment that, when stowed, provides privacy and controls access to a work space. It would further be advantageous to provide for a selectively reconfigurable wall system for use in a work environment that controls access to a work space and divides the work space, without compromising performance, and is well-suited for use in a dynamic work environment.